A picture of neglect FATEHABAD: The sanitary conditions in the town are poor. The local municipal committee has failed to maintain proper hygiene in almost all localities. Heaps of garbage and overflowing open drains fill streets with stench. People coming to district-level offices here, some of those located in narrow filthy streets, have to put up with the nauseating atmosphere.

STD, PCO owners resent disconnection
PANIPAT, Sept 17 — Resentment prevails among STD/PCO owners here against the telecom authority for disconnecting their lines. The telecom authorities on Wednesday disconnected the lines of 31 STD/PCOs for the non-payment of bills.

Three officers in dock over revenue leakage
CHANDIGARH, Sept 17 — The Revenue wing of the Haryana State Vigilance Bureau has detected three cases of revenue leakage wherein a sum of Rs 84,058 was involved, and departmental action has been recommended against three gazetted officers.

Sugarcane board set up
CHANDIGARH, Sept 17 — The Haryana Government has constituted a sugarcane board under the chairmanship of the Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, who also holds the Agriculture portfolio.

No-trust move put off
KAITHAL, Sept 17 — The meeting of the local Municipal Council to consider a non-confidence motion against the council Chairman, Mr Amar Singh Shorewala, could not be held here yesterday owing to information received by the City Magistrate that two councillors had disappeared from the town under mysterious circumstances.

• Five thieves arrested

CM's advice to farm scientists
Tribune News Service

HISAR, Sept 17 — Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala, today regretted that the farmers were not getting the desired scientific inputs, which was one of the main reasons of stagnation in productivity.

Addressing scientists and faculty members on the CCS Haryana Agricultural University campus here today, the Chief Minister said, "if the scientists do not mind, I would like to mention that farmers are not getting proper scientific inputs necessary for bumper food production."

He called upon the scientists to go in for innovations to tackle various problems coming in the way of agricultural production. He observed, there was a need of second green revolution in the country.

The Chief Minister also inaugurated the "farm darshan" programme. A large number of farmers from Haryana and the neighbouring states attended the farm darshan. The focus of the mela is to educate the farmers about integrated soil nutrient management and to make them available the improved seeds for the ensuing rabi season.

It was disappointing for the faculty members of the university that the Chief Minister did not announce the implementation of the revised pay scales. He only assured the teachers that he would ensure the implementation of the revised pay scales on the pattern of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). He clarified, the delay was only due to the prevailing election code of conduct and assured, as soon as the electoral process was over the notification to this effect would be issued on a priority basis.

He attributed the record agricultural production in the state to the efforts by the scientists in the university but cautioned against any sort of complacency. He also urged upon the scientists to promote floriculture and horticulture besides improving the livestock breeds.

The Chief Minister also drew the attention of the scientists towards the disturbed water table in the state and asked them to suggest remedial measures.

He expressed his pleasure over the improved seed being provided by the university to the farmers. He stressed upon the scientists to develop disease-resistant seeds at low price for the farmers.

Earlier, the Chief Minister also inaugurated the newly constructed building of the Academy of Agricultural Research and Education Management.

Leaders of the Haryana Agricultural University Teachers Association staged a silent dharna in protest against the delay in the implementation of revised pay scales.

Anticipatory bail to VC
From Jatinder Sharma
Tribune News Service

ROHTAK, Sept 17 — While granting anticipatory bail to the Vice-Chancellor of Maharshi Dayanand University, Lt-Gen O.P. Kaushik (retd), the Additional Sessions Judge, Mr R.K. Kashyap, has rejected the bail application of Maj-Gen P.N. Lehther (retd), ex-principal of Baba Mast Nath Engineering College, Asthal Bohar, in what is now called the Kuber Sarswat migration case.

The judge ordered that in the even of the arrest of Gen Kaushik, he should be released on bail on furnishing a bail bond of Rs 10,000 with a surety of like amount to the satisfaction of the investigating or arresting authority.

Mr Kashyap, however, directed Gen Kaushik to join the investigation as and when required by the police and not to tamper with the evidence in any way or to evade trial. Gen Kaushik was also directed not to leave the country without the prior permission of the court.

According to the prosecution, Kuber Sarswat, son of real brother-in-law of the Vice-Chancellor took admission in first year B.E. (Computer Engineering) course in Baba Mast Nath Engineering College, Asthal Bohar, in 1997-98 against the NRI quota seat. he did not pay fees for the second year despite demand. Mr Lehther was the Principal of the aforesaid college and had resigned on May 26, 1999.

The prosecution alleged that to avoid payment of dues/fees, Kuber Sarswat in connivance with the Principal and his uncle, Gen Kaushik, Vice-Chancellor, managed to get himself migrated to Apeejay College of Engineering, Sohna, without paying the fees and obtaining no-objection certificate from the college.

Though the result of the IV semester of the B.E. course was not yet declared, his migration to the third year class of B.E. (Engineering) was recommended. Mr Lehther appended his signatures on the migration form without date. The stamp of the college was also not put under his signatures which made it apparent that he signed on it when he was not the principal of the college.

Surprisingly, the name of the college to which the migration was sought was also not mentioned in the migration form. The college, the prosecution case said, suffered a loss of Rs 3.69 lakh on account of this illegal and fraudulent migration of the aforesaid student. On the complaint of Mahant Chand Nath Yogi, President of the College, an FIR was registered on August 18 under Sections 468, 471, 420, and 120-B, IPC.

Mr Kashyap, in his order announced here on Thursday, said that the Vice-Chancellor, in its discretion could order the migration of any student from one college to another. The order which the Vice-Chancellor passed on the migration form of Kuber Sarswat read "Migration allowed subject to payment of fees, if any".

From this order it could not be purported that it was passed with any mala fide intention. It did not bear the seal of the Vice-Chancellor. No report of the office was sought before passing the order as was required. But then it was an illegality or irregularity for which action could be contemplated against the Vice-Chancellor.

Rejecting the bail application of Mr Lehther, the judge said that why he signed on the form without date and affixing the stamp of the college remained a question. The migration form also did not bear any despatch or receipt number. If he signed and forwarded the application of Kuber Sarswat while he was working as Principal of the college, then he should have completed all these formalities. This fact raised suspicion about the conduct of the Principal.

Violating all these norms and principles, the Principal signed on the form even without obtaining the report of his office, which was a must.

Bogus muster roll scandal
From Our Correspondent

SONEPAT, Sept 17 — The Haryana Government has been suffering a huge financial loss due to the preparation of bogus muster roll by certain junior engineers in the Delhi water service division of the Irrigation Department.

According to informed sources, whenever canal cuts are made by unscrupulous farmers, backed by certain politicians, these are hushed up by showing a mishaps. This way, the officials find an opportunity to dupe the government and misappropriate public funds by preparing the bogus muster roll in connection with the repair works and pocketing the money on this account.

It is alleged that payments made to labourers, were less than the amount shown in the muster-sheets. Many labourers alleged that they had been threatened against exposing the malpractice.

In some cases, the modus operandi to dupe the state government and the labourers was different. Several such cases involving the misappropriation of huge amount had been reported to the authorities concerned but they had failed to take any action against the officials involved in the racket.

A high-level probe into the racket was likely to expose the misdeeds of the officials in this regard.

Meanwhile, representatives of various farmers’ organisations have urged the state government to order a high-level probe into the inefficient and unsatisfactory working of the WJC, feeder GC circle Delhi and Upper River Yamuna Board as well as the construction division and order the immediate transfer of the officials to ensure an independent and impartial probe.

They also demanded a thorough probe into the public complaints about the non-completion of certain flood-control schemes and sub-standard material used in the construction of the stone studs to check the erosion by the Yamuna in the Panipat area.

A picture of neglect
From Sushil Manav

FATEHABAD: The sanitary conditions in the town are poor. The local municipal committee has failed to maintain proper hygiene in almost all localities. Heaps of garbage and overflowing open drains fill streets with stench. People coming to district-level offices here, some of those located in narrow filthy streets, have to put up with the nauseating atmosphere.

* * *

The District Bar Association, has been demanding a district court here for the past two years. Association members met the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Chief Justice in this connection. The Chief Justice has assured them that he would appoint an additional Judge for Fatehabad as soon as the district administration made arrangements for the accommodation of a court room and a residence for the judge. The administration has already made provision for the court room but not for judge's residence.

* * *

The Bharat Vikas Parishad is running a free dispensary near the local Rajiv Gandhi Park. Dr H.K Gandhi, a local medical practitioner, is offering free services. The parishad also distributed free artificial limbs at Rattia town in the district to several handicapped persons.

* * *

Fatehabad is the only district in the state to release a compact disc with computerised data of revenue records of all villages of the district. The disc named Shart Wazib-ul-Arz was released by the Commissioner, Hisar division, Mr Dharamvir. Shart Wazib-ul-Arz is a part of the jamabandi and contains in detail the village customs and specific rules for administration.

STD, PCO owners resent disconnection
From Our Correspondent

PANIPAT, Sept 17 — Resentment prevails among STD/PCO owners here against the telecom authority for disconnecting their lines. The telecom authorities on Wednesday disconnected the lines of 31 STD/PCOs for the non-payment of bills.

This reporter verified that 29 PCO holders had already paid their bills before the due date to the telecom authorities, while the two STD/PCO owners made payment on September 16 along with the restoration charges of Rs 105. The STD/PCO holders have alleged that the telecom authorities had disconnected the lines without verifying the facts and without prior intimation.

A fax message was also sent to Director Finance, Karnal, regarding the lapse on the part of telecom authorities and discriminatory attitude, but no action had been taken against the erring officials. They charged that no steps had been taken to restore the connections.

Mr Vinod Kapoor, a PCO owner had demanded restoration of connections of STD/PCOs without delay and losses suffered by the STD/PCO owners due to closure from Wednesday till the restoration should be compensated.

When contacted the Junior Accounts Officer of the department admitted that the error had taken place due to shortage of staff. He said steps were being taken to restore the connections.

Three officers in dock over revenue leakage
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Sept 17 — The Revenue wing of the Haryana State Vigilance Bureau has detected three cases of revenue leakage wherein a sum of Rs 84,058 was involved, and departmental action has been recommended against three gazetted officers.

An official spokesman said the bureau had recommended criminal cases against three gazetted officers, 11 officials and 25 others. It had also recommended departmental action and recovery of money against 13 gazetted officers, three officials and two others.

He said the transport wing of the bureau had checked 154 buses of Haryana Roadways and 139 passengers were found travelling without tickets. A sum of Rs 14,520 was realised from them as penalty of 10 times the fare.

Sugarcane board set up
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Sept 17 — The Haryana Government has constituted a sugarcane board under the chairmanship of the Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, who also holds the Agriculture portfolio.

A spokesman of the Agriculture department today said the Cooperation Minister, Mr Kartar Singh Bhadana, Secretaries of Finance, Cooperation and Agriculture departments, Registrar, Cooperative Societies, and Managing Director, Haryana State Federation of Cooperative Sugar Mills would be its ex-officio members.

Mr Swaroop Singh of Rohtak, Mr Raj Kumar Saini of Yamunanagar, Mr Bal Krishan Kamboj of Karnal, Mr Ram Singh of Ambala, Mr Om Parkash of Kaithal, Mr Tek Ram of Jind and Mr Ranjit Puri, Chairman and Managing Director, Saraswati Sugar Mills, Yamunanagar, have been nominated as its non-official members.

Mr Hans Raj Bhatia of Panipat and the Cane Adviser to the Haryana State Cooperative Sugar Mills' Federation, have also been included.

The Cane Commissioner, Haryana, will act as its Member-Secretary.

No-trust move put off
From Our Correspondent

KAITHAL, Sept 17 — The meeting of the local Municipal Council to consider a non-confidence motion against the council Chairman, Mr Amar Singh Shorewala, could not be held here yesterday owing to information received by the City Magistrate that two councillors had disappeared from the town under mysterious circumstances.

The wife of one councillor and the son of another gave the information about the disappearance to the Magistrate, Mr Vivek Atrey, who was to oversee the proceedings.

Following this complaint, the Magistrate directed the police to investigate and submit its report about the matter. He had to adjourn the meeting sine die.

Municipal councillors had submitted a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner expressing lack of confidence in the Chairman last month.

Five thieves arrested
From Our Correspondent

JIND, Sept 17 — The police has busted a gang of thieves with the arrest of its five members-Ashok Kumar, Rajinder, Shamu Dawan and Raj Kumar. Mr Manjit Singh Ahlawat, SP said here today that the gang was active in Jind area and had committed over 10 thefts in Jind town recently. He said 10 cases of thefts had been registered against the gang members.

Mr Ahlawat said Ashok Kumar, kingpin of the gang, was involved in 15 cases of crime at Chandigarh, Ludhiana and Panipat.

The police had recovered stolen ornaments, television sets, cooking gas refills, gas stoves and other household articles from the members of the gang, he said.